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Dec. 4, 1934 G W' BAUGHMAN 1,982,626

APPARATUS; FOR CONTROLLING TRACKWAY DEVICES FROM A RAIL VEHICLE FiledJan. 9, 1933 mvEmok George [0.8auglznza1z P @RYF HIS ATTORNEY PatentedDec. 4, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE DEVICES FROM George W.Baughman,

to The Union Swit A RAIL VEHICLE Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor oh & SignalCompany,

Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 9,

5 Claims.

My invention relates to apparatus for controlling trackway devices froma rail vehicle, and more particularly, to apparatus for controlling suchdevices from a rail vehicle of the nonshunting type, such as a rubbertired rail car, and also for providing an indication on the car of theoperation of said devices.

I will describe two forms of apparatus embodying my invention, and willthen point out the novel features thereof in claims.

Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view showing oneform of apparatus embodying my invention applied to highway crossingprotection. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing a modified form of aportion of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a fragmentalview showing in more detail a flashing relay FR which is illustrateddiagrammatically in Figs. 1 and 2.

Similar reference characters refer parts in both views.

In obtaining highway crossing protection in track-circuited territoryhaving steel wheeled tramc, it is customary to control crossingprotection devices by means of track relay operation following theshunting and subsequent clearing of the track section by the train.Where track circuits are not available, and where cars having rubbertired wheels are used, some other means, not dependent upon the usualtype or train shunt, must be provided. One method for accomplishing thisresult is to supply energy from a car-carried source to the rails of thetrack, for operating the wayside highway crossing apparatus. If desired,energy of another character may be impressed on the rails fromtheway-side location, to provide an indication on the car that the crossingapparatus is functioning properly.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, the reference character A designatesa rail car, having wheels which are insulated from the rails, on whichis carried the apparatus enclosed within the broken line representingthe outline of the car. The rails 1 and 2 of the track section D-E areinsulated from the rails of adjoining track sections by insulated railjoints 3. At location E is a grade crossing protected by the crossingsignal X which is controlled by a flashing relay FR connected across thetwo rails of section D-E.

The flashiny relay FR is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 1, but asshown more in detail in Fig. 3 it may be of the usual type involving twomagnets 30 and 30 cooperating with two armatures 31 and 31 mounted on amember 34 which is mounted to oscillate. This member to similar 1933,Serial No. 650,800 (Cl. 246-59) carries the contacts 4 and 9, and alsoan additional contact 32 which coacts' with two fixed contact members 33and 33 to alternately'shunt the magnets 30 and 30 respectively. A relayof this type is fully disclosed and claimed in Lettors Patent of theUnited States granted to Snavely and Wells on April 2, 1929, Reissue No.17,252. 7

When relay FR is energized, contacts 4-5 and 4:-6 are periodically andalternately closed, causing lamps 7 and 8 of signal X to flashalternately, in the usual manner. At the same time, front contact 9-1Gof relay FR also closes periodically, supplying impulses of alternatingcurrent from a source BBQ-BX to the primary winding 11 of transformer'1, these impulses being applied, by means of secondary winding 12, tothe rails 1 and 2, through the current limiting resistor R. When relayFR is deenergized, contact fingers 4 and 9 are biased to an openposition in which contacts 4-5, 46 and 9-10 are all open.

On the car A is a battery 13 which impresses a potential across rails 1and 2 by means of rail shoes 14. and 15, through the primary winding 16of a transformer T and through a current limiting resistor R Relay FR isdesigned to become energized by the rail current flowing from battery13. The resistor R prevents too great a drain on the battery should thecar remain standing at location E, and resistor R prevents Winding 12 oftransformer T from by-passing too much current away from relay FR.

When the car enters section D- E, relay FR begins to operate, andwinding 16 of transformer T receives periodic impulses of alternatingcurrent, the output of winding 17 of this transformer being used toperiodically energize the indication relay K, through rectifier M, forperiodically closing front contact 18 to provide the car operator withflashing indication at lamp L. Lamp L is energized from terminals N andO of battery 13, and the intermittent flashing of this lamp is a checkon the operation of relay FR and signal X. As soon as the car leavessection D--E, relay FR, signal X, and transformer '1 all becomedeenergized, assuming their normal condition corresponding to theunoccupied condition of section DE.

Referring to Fig. 2, the apparatus shown in this figure is intended toreplace the wayside apparatus at location E of Fig. l, the purpose beingto replace the flasher relay FR by a track relay TR and a flasher relaywhich does not need to be so designed that its contacts 20-21 and 2022are both openwhen the relay is deenergized. Relay TR is the usual typeof neutral track relay, and relay FR is the usual periodically operatingtype of highway crossing flasher relay such as the relay shown in Fig.3. When relay TB is energized due to the potential impressed acrossrails 1 and 2 by car A, relay FR becomes energized over front contact 19of relay TR, and flashes lamps 7 and 8 of signal X alternately, over itscontacts 20-2l and 2022, respectively. The energy for signal X iscarried over front contact 19 of relay TB. so that the signal willremain dark at all times when relay TB is deenergized.

When relay TR is energized and relay FB is operating, alternatingcurrent is supplied periodically to winding ll of transformer T, overfront contacts 23 and 24 of relays FR and TR respectively, to provide afiasing indication on the car, for the purpose explained hereinbefore.If contact 23 of relay FB is not included in the energizing circuit fortransformer T, a steady instead of a flashing indication at lamp Lresults, whenever relay TB is energized.

It will be apparent that the apparatus disclosed is not limited in itsapplication to the operation of highway crossing signals, but may beapplied to the control of wayside apparatus of any suitable type whichit is desired to operate upon the approach of a rail car. The currentused for controlling the wayside apparatus and for providing a returnindication on the car may be direct for one and alternating for theother function, or alternating currents may be used for both functions,provided the currents are of distinctive character so that suitableselection can be made therebetween. If alternating currents are used,resistors R, and B may be replaced by suitable reactors. If directcurrent is used for indicating purposes, transformer T and rectifier lVImay be dispensed with.

Although I have herein shown and described only two forms of apparatusfor controllin highway crossing signals embodying my invention, it isunderstood that various changes and modifications may be made thereinwithin the scope of the appended claims without departing from thespirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, claim is:

1. In combination with a section of railway track and a rail vehiclehaving wheels which are incapable of shunting the track, a vehicle car-'ied source of current, means for applying a potential from said vehiclesource across the two rails of said. track, a wayside trafficcontrolling device connected across said two rails and energized bycurrent from said vehicle source, a wayside source of current of suchcharacter as to be incapable of operating said traffic controllingdevice, means controlled by said device when the device is in itsenergized condition for applying a potential from said wayside sourceacross said two rails, and an indicator on said vehicle responsive tothe potential from said wayside source for indicating the condition ofsaid traific controlling device.

2. In combination with a section of railway what I track and a railvehicle having wheels which are incapable of shunting the track, a firstsource of current on the vehicle, a vehicle carried circuit includingsaid first source for applying a potential across said two rails bymeans of a pair of rail shoes, a wayside signaLa control relay for saidsignal energized by the potential from said first source, a secondsource of current in the wayside of such character as to be incapable ofoperating said relay, means governed by said relay when the relay isenergized for applying a potential from said second source across saidtwo rails, and an indicator on the vehicle governed by current from saidsecond source flowing in said vehicle carried circuit.

3. In combination with a section of railway track and a rail vehiclehaving wheels which are incapable of shunting the track, a source ofdirect current on the Vehicle, a circuit including a pair of rail shoesfor applying a potential from said source across the two rails of saidtrack, a direct current track relay connected across the two rails ofsaid track and arranged to become energized by rail current from saiddirect current source, a wayside source of varying current, meanseffective when said track relay is energized for applying a potentialfrom said wayside source across the two rails of the track, and anindicator on said vehicle responsive to the flow of current from saidwayside source in said circuit for providing an indication when saidtrack relay is energized.

i. In combination with a section of railway track and a rail vehiclehaving wheels which are incapable of shunting the track, a source ofdirect current on the vehicle, a circuit from one to the other railincluding a pair of rail shoes for applying a potential from said sourceacross the two rails of said track, a first resistor included in saidcircuit, a track relay connected across the rails at one end of saidsection and capable of being energized by said potential, a signalgoverned by said track relay, a wayside source of alternating current, atransformer having one winding energized from said wayside source over acontact of said track relay and having another winding connected acrossthe rails of said track through a second resistor, and an indicator onsaid vehicle responsive to the flow of alternating current from saidwayside source in said circuit.

5. In combination with a section of railway track and a rail vehiclehaving wheels which are incapable of shunting the track, avehicle-carried source of current, means for applying a potential fromsaid vehicle source across the two rails of said track, a wayside deviceresponsive to rail current from said vehicle source, a wayside source ofcurrent of such character as to be incapable of operating said device,means controlled by said device for supplying current from said waysidesource to the rails of said track, and

GEORGE W. BAUGHMAN.

